Curious about the benefits of origami for kids?
Read on to find out how the Japanese art of paper folding can improve several aspects of your child’s life. Works well for adults too!!
Develops Hand-Eye Coordination
When your child starts grade school, their hand-eye coordination should be good enough for most rudimentary tasks. But it will continue to improve as they progress through their developmental years.
If you’re looking for a safe and fun way to work on their hand-eye coordination, try paper folding. Much like drawing, origami stimulates the parts of the brain that deal with fine motor skills and visual development, among others.
Improves Focus
Many of our children live with ADHD and many of them rely on fidgeting to focus.
Origami is a highly effective approach to structured fidgeting. Once kids memorize each fold, they’ll be able to complete models without even glancing at the paper. Not to mention, pieces of paper are easy to carry around and replenish, so they can do origami anywhere.
Builds Self-Esteem
Children with low self-esteem have a harder time handling peer pressure than others. Therefore, it’s a good idea to start instilling confidence in kids early on. Building self-esteem goes far beyond dressing well and taking care of yourself. It also involves things like overcoming challenges and demonstrating your abilities.
Getting good at origami requires practice, but anyone can do it. As your child masters new origami models, they become more and more confident in their own creative potential.
Reduces Stress
Today’s high-paced environment puts a strain on all of us, and kids are no exception. In fact, studies show that children actually worry more than their parents think they do.
However, origami is a very calm and relaxing activity, which is why many professionals use it for therapy. It allows kids to focus on the present rather than worrying about things that are stressing them out.
Teaches Kids to Learn from Their Mistakes
Many young children have a hard time dealing with frustration. As a result, they give up on tasks at the first sign of failure. Through trial and error, kids who practice origami learn that many mistakes can be overcome. If they mess up a step, they can go back and re-fold. This teaches them perseverance.
When getting started with origami for kids, stick to basic projects. Focus on those that involve less than 10 steps. Also, opt for models that kids can visualize, such as animals or flowers.
Keep in mind that it may take four or five attempts to do each step properly. Just continue giving your child encouragement along the way.
Here's an easy heart template for you to try!
Ref: cool2bkids.com
Remember, the internet is a wonderful source of ideas and templates
Ref: https://hosbeg.com/5-intriguing-benefits-of-origami-for-kids/
So I had a bit of fun.... Kid at heart is my excuse!
My first attempt caused some stress, but I learned from my mistakes 😃
.....and now to pass the finished product onto someone special!